Yesterday staff members of the University Centre welcomed the fourth group of students that begin their studies in Coastal and Marine Management. The number of students is slightly smaller than last year with nineteen students, which still is a comfortable size for a study group at the master's level.

Like before the students come from all over the world, from the UK, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, China, Canada, United States and Iceland. The students also have a wide variety of academic backgrounds ranging from biology, environmental science, planning, law, meteorology, education, communications, political science and philosophy.

Yesterday students were given an overview of the University Centre's operations and what is to be expected in the coming academic year. They were also given a tour around the Vestrahús building and briefly introduced to the various institutions located there. Students in last year's class gave an introduction to the activities of the student association Ægir. The orientation ended with a walk around town which ended at the town library where its facilities and services were presented.

Today teaching began with the first course of the autumn semester, Iceland's Environment and Natural Resources, taught by Dagný Arnarsdóttir, program director and Georg Haney, project manager at the Westfjords Natural History Institute.